1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluid separator and will have specific but not limited application to a separator for fuel in which the impurities in the fuel may be separated out.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The existence of water and contaminant particles has been a long-standing problem in many industries, particularly in the fuel industry, such as diesel fuels, as the water and contaminant particles must be removed from the fluid prior to the engine chamber. Inadequate separation and filtration of such water and/or particles causes freezing of various fluid lines, as well as damage and costly repairs to the engine.
Many different types of separators have been suggested in the industry including such items as paper filters, baffle plates, and cyclonic action to remove the water and particles. One of the difficulties of the paper filters is the high cost and maintenance of the separators as well as the resultant down time.
With respect to a prior separator showing a plurality of baffle plates, U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,974 shows a plurality of baffle plates within a separator where the inlet port is projected into a spillway having a constricted opening at its end which opens into the separator cannister. Due to the geometry of this separator, the fluid cannot attain the speeds necessary to adequately separate the water and particulates.
Cyclonic separators, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,955, vary in complexity and cost and are relatively complicated in design.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a fluid separator of simplified and reliable design. It is another object of this invention to provide a fuel purification apparatus in the form of a separator of economical construction. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description.
In this invention the fluid separator includes an outer housing and a centrally located, vertically oriented cylindrical tube which extends from adjacent the upper end to adjacent the lower end of the housing. The lower end of the tube has a beveled face which is partially obstructed by a plate which extends across the upper portion of the discharge opening of the tube as defined by the beveled tube lower end. There is a fluid inlet port into the tube at its upper end and a fluid outlet port from the housing at the housing""s upper end.
Fluid, such as gasoline or diesel fuel, enters the separator from the inlet port and travels downwardly through the tube in a circular or spiraling motion which causes heavier impurities to be separated from the fluid. The fluid and separated impurities pass outwardly from the beveled lower end of the center tube under the obstructing plate or baffle with the impurities settling to the bottom of the separator housing and the fuel passing upwardly along the housing at the exterior of the central tube and out the outlet port at the upper end of the housing.